This disclosure relates to buckles for connecting webbing. More particularly it relates to such buckles having a slide release actuation capability.
Releasable buckles are a mainstay in numerous harness or webbing securement applications. They are widely used in personal equipment such as clothing, back packs, vehicular restraint systems, parachutes, protective vests for military or law enforcement use and other applications. In some instances remote release of the connected buckle components is an important, often critical, feature.
One common form of buckle is the side release buckle. Made of polymeric material, it includes two engageable elements, a main buckle element or latch and a hollow buckle body which includes a pair of latching edges formed adjacent side openings in the body. Each element normally includes attachment loops to connect to associated harness or webbing. The latch element includes deformable latching legs that releasably engage the latching edges of the hollow buckle body. Manual deformation of the latching legs laterally toward each other at the side openings releases the legs from engagement with the latching edges on the hollow buckle body and the buckle elements are separable.
Side release buckles are suitable for remote actuation. A known application involves, for example, a military or police vest with multiple buckles connected for simultaneous remote release. Such side release buckles utilize a tension cord or cable actuator which operates to release the connected buckle components. An example can be found in application for U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/459,398, published Dec. 16, 2010, as Publication No. 2010/0313392.
In the known remote release configuration the latching legs of the latch element are connected by a central, deformable web. The web is connected to a remotely operable tension cord that exerts a deforming force on the web. The free ends of the latching legs are pulled together transversely causing release of the latching legs of the latch element from the latching edges on the hollow body. The hollow buckle body also includes side openings to provide manual access to the deformable legs of the latch element.
As described, current systems use a one-piece latch design that relies on the plastic deformation of a tie-together strip between the latching legs within the buckle. Given the added material for the tension cord interface, resistance of the connected deformable web, and application angle, additional applied force is required to accomplish release when the secondary release is actuated.